


Welcoming Silence

by Xycuro



Series: Vitriol AU Drabbles [19]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Alternative Universe- Vitriol AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-04
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-21 22:40:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9569870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xycuro/pseuds/Xycuro
Summary: Two friends share their mourning for the better.





	

It starts off slow.

It's suppose to take time.

  
It's only been a few months, and everything still seemed very gray.

She kept up her daily routine all together; to keep this town protected at all costs.

Then there's the other routine she has to do.

After the sun sets and the stars make their way to glitter the sky, Valerie Gray goes and comforts her friend.

  
Her only friend left.

  
It always start off silent, but after realizing her own pain, she's always left without a word to say.

Their funeral left a stain, and their deaths left a hole in both their hearts.

  
It's always this repetitive pattern that they follow. As if it never changes.

 

  
One day, Valerie offered a cool down at home, knowing that Danny would at least try to be somewhere other than the rooftop of the Fenton works.

She mentally prepared herself, planning out how this meet up will work.

Their meet ups are always said without a single word.

What's there to say?

Danny refuses to talk, and she can't force it out of him.

So they always sit there in silence, side by side with nothing to say, and just suffer together until the sky turns bright again.

This time, she hoped something might turn up.

Lately, Cujo had run off somewhere in the Ghost Zone, and Valerie hoped she could find him. It would be easier if the green dog was around to settle in some comfort.

  
Already, the sky was turning twilight, violet streaks displayed against warm yellow.

  
Hopefully, he'll show up.

  
She arrived home, silently thankful her father has not arrived back yet from work. Her suit unfolded and crawled back into her watch, only revealing her gear uniform and spandex.

Valerie changed quickly to casual clothing and fixed up her room, opening blinds and windows. The sun went to sleep and the moon was out to spread some light into the night.

  
It's been half an hour, and soon it became two hours.

She feels like he's not coming by.

Until the ghost radar on her watch says so otherwise.

  
From the window and within the night, Danny arrived in his ghost form, floating right in and landing with ease.

His face had anything but ease.

Valerie now only sees his face as nothing but gloom and sadness.

The bags under his became more prominent each visit, hair a mess and light green scleras turned sickly and yellow.

That vibrant green glow wasn't there anymore; it's faint, as if slowly dying out.

"Hey." Valerie greeted, swallowing slightly as she made way.

Danny looked over at her, saying nothing but a soft greeting back.

  
She beckoned a spot near the window where they could sit and Danny simply followed.

Valerie had noticed Danny has been staying in his ghost form more and more, even since _they've_ been gone.  
She never mentions it, but that's what makes Miss Gray so cunning.

Noticing the little details.

...

It starts again.

The silent therapy they've seen to grow accustomed to.

Valerie sat next to her best friend, seeing him stare out at the moon with sullen eyes. She looked down for a moment, knowing how much it pains her to witness this.

To see how broken he's become.

 _Do something_ , her mind always whispers, and for the sake of everything, it's always right.

Maybe she should listen to it this time.

  
"Danny..."

  
No response; The halfa keeps staring out at the dark sky, nothing on his expression but complete stillness.

"Danny."

Valerie prompts again, this time, she faces him, brushing out curls out of her face.

Danny seemed to have noticed and turned to face her, eyes now staring back at her own.

"Yes?"

She's gone so used to hearing his voice so hoarse and shattered from no emotion.

  
"What happened to us?"

  
Valerie starts out just like that, waiting a response from the other as he kept staring.

He said nothing again, only looked down with a soft frown.

  
"We used to talk so much, you know." Valerie kept going, inching closer to her friend, her hand twitching.

"We used to talk about whatever was on our minds, and we used to say anything we wanted and discuss about so many things."

 

He still didn't say anything.

 

"Look what's happened to us. We've gone from spilling out any secret and anything on our minds to just giving a silent treatment and hoping for the best."

Valerie frowned and moved her hand over to the halfa's, feeling the fabric on his glove with her thumb.

 

"It hurts you know....seeing you like this." She paused slightly before continuing.

  
"I miss Sam and Tucker too."

 

  
Danny winced at their names, gritting his teeth slightly and his eyes went shut.

"I miss them _so much_. I know you miss them the most. And I know what you're thinking." Her hand kept going, her other coming in and grabbing both his gloved hands. "I can practically feel the guilt coming off from you..."

Now it's starting to break.

The silence is finally starting to disappear.

Tears formed and threatened to flow down on his pale cheeks, and a slight shudder came from him.

"Danny..."

  
_"I should have done more."_

  
There it was; guilt was laced in his voice it just started hurting Valerie more and more.

His hands clenched and his brows furrowed. Danny was shivering and ice was forming near their little circle.

_"I should have, could have...I was useless I just needed to..."_

  
_Valerie's hand went straight to his cheek, feeling his cold tears stream down his face. His eyes snapped opened, now puffy and staring down at the floor again._

"Danny...Danny please...look at me."

  
And he did, Danny looked straight into her eyes and saw her own eyes going watery as well.

  
It's not your fault. Please don't blame yourself, because it's never going to be your fault."

  
His lip quivered and he shuddered once more, pressing his face into Valerie's hand and sobbing quietly.

  
Now that the silence was broken, it wasn't long before the other leaned in and hugged the halfa, tears spilling on both ends.

 

  
"I want them back, Valerie. I want them back here, with us."

 

  
There was his broken voice muffled in her shoulder, and Valerie just rubbed his back slowly, listening to his soft pleas.

"I do too, Danny."

  
It went on like this for some time, Valerie giving off soothing whispers to her best friend.

"It hurts, I know it hurts. You have to be strong, for us, for _them_." She whispers, riding out this vent session of sadness until the shudders came to a stop.

  
This time around, the silence was welcomed.

  
The two sat like that with more time passing around, until Danny broke the hug and faced Valerie again.

She smiled softly, wiping her tears and then his own. "How long have you kept that bottled up? You know how unhealthy that is." Valerie then inspected his eyes again and frowned at those dark circles.  
"And when was the last time you slept, Danny?"

The halfa sighed and brushed her hand away from his face, looking away slightly.

 

"What's the point in that? All I ever see is-"

 

He then coughed slightly and had a soft gasp, a familiar blue wisp escaping his mouth.

Valerie looked around and only heard the soft pidder padder of tiny paws nearby.

 

Through the wall, a ghost made itself tangible and revealed it to be Cujo himself. The small pup barked happily and finding the two, reaching over to the and greeting them.

"Hey there, you finally showed your face around huh?" Valerie asked, noticing how the tension from Danny's shoulders seem to lessen from the sight of the ghost dog.

 

Said halfa picked up the pup and greeted him with gentle words.  
However, Danny noticed something small hiding in Cujo's fur and pulled it out carefully.

Valerie stared at what it was and saw the thing uncurl and peak it's beady eyes at the two.

A tiny, harmless ghost snake was in Danny's hands, and it flicked out its little tongue.

  
"It's just a little snake." Valerie whispered, inspecting the thing and poking at it slightly. Nothing seemed to provoke it as it just moved slowly in the halfa's hands.

"It's actually kind of cute..."

Danny nodded slowly, looking at the little slithering ghost.  
"Sam would've loved this little one...and Tucker would probably be screaming if he saw it."

  
For the first time in months, they laughed. A genuine, sincere laugh from humor that came out of it.

It started off shaky, but then evolved into something sweet, something casual and nothing forced.

 

It felt wonderful, it felt so _good_ to just laugh again, even if it lasted for a few seconds.

 

Cujo relaxed and curled up at the two, and the ice surrounding them began to disappear. The little ghost snake gave out one final "blep" until it slithered away and out of the apartment.

 

It left the two leaning against each other, watching the stars yet again, but in a comforting silence from an aftermath.

Valerie didn't mind it one bit, feeling some sort of content within her.

Suddenly, she felt Danny go limp and a still flash of white appeared at the corner of her eye. Valerie turned to see the halfa now in human form, something she hasn't seen in a long time.

 

Danny had fell asleep for once and was now sleeping silently against her shoulder. A smile crept up her face and she ran her hand through his messy locks of black.

The moment stayed a little longer before Valerie carefully moved Danny over to her bed, letting him sleep in peace.

She sat on the couch near said bed and gave out a sigh.

  
Silence finally felt welcoming once again.


End file.
